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Strengthen America's Family Farms and Rural Communities

Target: Congress
Sponsored by: Center for Rural Affairs

America is strongest when all of its people have access to genuine opportunity. To contribute to the nation's prosperity, rural America must share in it.

We must change our course and support farm and rural policy that revitalizes rural America.

The single most effective thing Congress can do to strengthen rural America is to target farm programs to family farms. Today, unlimited farm program checks subsidize large, aggressively expanding operations that drive up land costs and drive their smaller neighbors out of business. Reforming farm programs will save money, and that money can be invested in creating a future for rural America.

Rural Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurial, small business development lifts the veil of poverty and dependence on low-wage work, creates economic opportunity, and brings people back to rural areas.

Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: Supporting the future of family farming and ranching through training, mentoring, and education is a down payment on a vibrant future for all of rural America.

Conservation: Conservation programs that reward farmers and ranchers for good stewardship on working lands rather than by what and how much they produce protects the soil, water, and air for all of America.

Tell Congress to support farm and rural policy that strengthens rural America!

deadline: 6-6-2008
goal: 10,000

7,861
signatures!

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Dear Senator / Representative:

[Your Personal Comment Here]

I urge you to support farm and rural policy that will strengthen our nation's family farms and rural communities.

The single most effective thing Congress can do to strengthen rural America is to target farm programs to family farms. Today, unlimited farm program checks subsidize large, aggressively expanding operations that drive up land costs and drive their smaller neighbors out of business. Reforming farm programs will save money, and that money can be invested in creating a future for rural America. I urge you to support:

Small Business Entrepreneurship: Less than 2% of Americans live on farms, and rural economies are incredibly diverse. Entrepreneurial, small business development lifts the veil of poverty and dependence on low-wage work, creates economic opportunity, and brings people back to rural areas. It is by far the most promising strategy for revitalizing rural America.

Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: The future of rural America depends on the next generation of family farmers and ranchers. Training, mentoring, linking, education and planning for beginning farmers is a down payment on creating a vibrant future for all of rural America.

Conservation: Conservation programs preserve land and water by rewarding farmers and ranchers for good stewardship on working lands. They are good for family farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and all of America.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address]

We signed the “Strengthen America's Family Farms and Rural Communities” petition!

# 150:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Richard W. Firth, Virginia

# 149:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Michael Rubin, California

# 148:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Christina Guros, Washington

# 147:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Josh Higgins, Oregon

# 146:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Marian Garlinghouse, Oregon

# 145:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, John Strickler, Kansas

# 144:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Patricia Vanderhorst, North Carolina

# 143:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Shawn Branch, Texas

# 142:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Liam Breunle, California

# 141:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Name not displayed, Florida

# 140:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Charity Shuster, Vermont

# 139:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, David C. Johnson, Ohio
time to stop giving all the money to BIG farms and incourage the little guys!!

# 138:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Donald Crosby, Florida

# 137:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Storm Weaver, Texas

# 136:

1:02 pm PDT, Jun 18, Kathy Curtis, Florida
If we don't stop destroying our environment...and supporting our farmlands...the United States will become nothing but concrete...dependent upon other nations for food.

# 135:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Kylie Loynd, Washington
Our family feels that local farms, and local business of all kinds, are essential to our continued health.

# 134:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Stacey Meyer, Wisconsin

# 133:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Stephen J. Spaulding, New Hampshire

# 132:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Shaun Woodson, Virginia

# 131:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Rebecca Harper, California

# 130:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Stan Thangaraj, Illinois

# 129:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Brenda Taylor, Texas

# 127:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, John Anuci, Michigan

# 126:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Ann Webster, Michigan

# 125:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Linda Williard, Pennsylvania

# 124:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Gary Bledsoe, Illinois

# 123:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, DAVID WILBUR, Louisiana

# 122:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Jeff Winter, Florida

# 121:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Dusty Hughston, California
dont be unreasonable eat seasonal... fear no food

# 120:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Lola Abeln, Missouri
Please support rural America and it's farmers!

# 119:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, James Acito, Pennsylvania

# 118:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, L. Gibbs, North Carolina
Keep America STRONG!!!

# 117:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Kay Morgan, Illinois

# 116:

1:01 pm PDT, Jun 18, Name not displayed, Connecticut

# 115:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Name not displayed, New York

# 114:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Donald Lloyd, Virginia
surport rural america

# 113:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Gerald Smolinsky, Texas

# 112:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Kaitlin Hoffman, Illinois

# 111:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Thomas Hooppaw, Illinois

# 110:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Barbara Brooks, New Jersey

# 109:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Lisa Amtower, New York
Family/local farmers are the backbone of America, in terms of quality, diversity, and land conservation. Support them now. Before it is too late.

# 108:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Nadia Sindi, Oregon
We need to support our local farmers and growers now.

# 107:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Carol Zapata, Mexico

# 106:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Laura Hamlyn, North Carolina

# 105:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Patricia Eggert, Connecticut

# 104:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Renee Piriano, Wisconsin
Family farms are much more important than corporate farms.

# 103:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Melissa Lynn Brown, Missouri

# 102:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Hilary Lubin, Michigan

# 101:

1:00 pm PDT, Jun 18, Van Brown, North Carolina

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Strengthen America's Family Farms and Rural Communities

This petition has been closed.